


Broken Hair ties and Phone Numbers

by letmefightforfreedom



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alex is taking notes, Alex studies physics now, Alternate Universe - College/University, Artist!Lafayette, Awkward situations, Awkward!John, Freckles, Hercules Mulligan - Freeform, Hes actually writing random shit, I Don't Even Know, If anyone likes this great, John is a big ball of anxiety, John's dad is a dick, M/M, Not, THE DATE OMG, The struggles of the man bun, Trigger warning: Homophopia, Turtles, bamf!alex, bored in class, broken hair ties, i hate him, im sorry., peppermint tea, that might be a thing, there's no sex yet, they both have long hair, who knows this whole thing was a surprise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-09-01 15:55:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8630305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letmefightforfreedom/pseuds/letmefightforfreedom
Summary: I really don't even know what this is...I found it on my computer and was like what the heck I'll throw it out there and someone might like it.





	1. Chapter 1

Monday:   
John Laurens wasn’t bored, so much as uninterested. Being stuck in the third useless English class to fill electives was not his idea of a good time. Knowing he did not have to pay attention per se, to pass this class, he allowed his mind and eyes to wander. There was the usual mess of students who were actually interested in the class, one girl who had been annoyingly answering every question. John laughed to himself thinking about it. What was she compensating for? Probably a failed online math class. Then John’s eyes caught on a figure and stopped. Someone about his age, long hair pulled tightly back bent over a notebook hastily scribbling. John watched him, there was no way he was taking notes, the professor was not even using that many words. John cursed himself for not paying attention when the professor had called role, but at the time he hadn’t cared to. Oh well, it wasn’t like he couldn’t figure it out if he really wanted to. Not that he didn’t want to. Chasing guys was a seriously bad idea especially since things with his father were overly tense at the moment. John was so lost in his thoughts that he was surprised when everyone started to get up and pack up. Thrown out of his reverie he looked over towards the person who had caught his eye, but he was already gone. John shook his head at himself then packed up his things and left

Tuesday:   
John pulled the tie out of hair and pulled it back tighter; the loose curls that were escaping were becoming increasingly distracting and he wanted to focus. He pulled on the tie as he focused on what he was writing, and the tie snapped. John looked at the mutinous tie in his hand. Damnit, there was only one other guy in this class who had long hair, and asking a girl to borrow one was just no. They always made some comment about how ‘cute’ his hair was and he was SO OVER them trying to touch it. John gave himself a deep internal sigh and then got up before he could decide differently. He walked across the room and stopped in front of Alexander (John had learned his name earlier during roll call). Alexander didn’t look up. He just kept writing. John cleared his throat. Alexander looked up quickly then looked back.   
“yes?” And John about died in that moment. His voice was so perfect and he was so much more beautiful right in front of him. Alexander stopped writing and put down his pen.   
“I’m sorry, can I help you?” John remembered where he was like he was struck by lightning.   
“Yeah, sorry,” He answered, “This is gonna sound weird, but I can I borrow a hair tie? It’s just you’re the only guy in this class with long hair and I just broke mine and I REALLY don’t want to ask any of the other girls…” He trailed off as Alexander took a hair tie off his wrist handed it to him, then tore a piece of paper out of his notebook, scribbled on it, and finally handed it to john.   
“here.” He said. “and stop staring at me in class. Its distracting.” Then without another word he turned back to his writing and John was standing there with the hair tie in one hand and the note from Alexander in the other. After a couple seconds of stunned silence, he wandered back over to his desk. He pulled back his hair and then with one more sideways Alexander he looked at the note that he was handed and another bolt of lightning shot through him. The note was only a couple lines hastily scrawled and all it said was Alexander’s number and: Stop staring. Seriously. Just ask me out already. And John laughed out loud. If he had been sitting anywhere closer to Alexander, he would have seen the slow small smile that spread across his face at the gorgeous sound of John’s laughter.


	2. So appearently this is a thing now...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this is a thing now? Don't know where it's going but you all are so sweet and seem to like it and who am I to deny you all so here have a thing! *blushes* *backs away slowly*

Friday:

John pulled the scrap of paper out of his pocket for the five billionth time that day and stared at it. What was he supposed to do with it? Call Alex? Text him? Just like every time before, he started to spiral and soon he was so deep into his psychoanalysis that he honestly could not remember what he normally did with his hands, or his whole person really, so he angrily stuffed it back into his pocket and huffed in disgust. This particular time his eyes fell and focused on the very real essay that he was supposed to be writing. 250 words that eventually needed to be 3000 words on the frustratingly benign subject of whether modern art should be considered art. How did this professor even have a teaching position? Or at the very least, a bachelors degree? With another deep sigh of resignation, John apathetically tapped out another 250 words. He was getting somewhere, no where fast and no where groundbreaking, but somewhere. He paused again and idly twirled one of his curls around his finger then let it snap back. An annoying habit he had picked up for some girl he had aggressively watched answer questions all day in class because she was so fucking annoying. Ugh now he was being judgmental just because he was all worked up over a guy he didn't even know. He went back to his essay. 250 more words. This was easy, he could do this! He cracked his knuckles and wrote another 250, then looked up, and his heart stopped. There was Alexander frantically writing again at a table near John. The library wasn't even that full, did he have to sit at the table right next to John? And how long had he been there? Had he seen John fiddling with the paper with his number on it? John went back to his writing but couldn't get more than 50 words out without looking up again. What was Alex writing? John only got a single sentence out before he closed his computer in frustration. This was not good. This essay was due at midnight but there was no way it was getting done when it had to compete with Alex's face and the way his hair only curled at the ends and his intense look of concentration and...shit the way he looked up at John and caught him staring. Alex smiled a knowing smirk and waved John over. John slowly put his things in his bag and slowly, dreadfully slowly walked over to Alexander's table.  
"Heeeeeeeey" he awkwardly tried to start but Alex held up one finger and kept writing. John, rebuffed, took the moment to look at the book Alex had been reading out of, it was: Quantum Physics: a fundamental approach to modern Physics.  
What.  
Alex was a poli-sci major, John had defiantly bribed a friend in the Registrars office to find as much out as he could. He didn't think that Alex was even taking a physics class. Alex closed his laptop and looked up.  
"So, haven't heard from you"  
John felt himself blush, "why are you reading about physics?" Was the intelligent answer that came out of his mouth. Alex shrugged "it's interesting. I don't know everything about it. And I'm about a month ahead in the homework so I needed something to do."  
"How are you a month ahead? They only release the assignments weekly!" John asked, diligently avoiding Alex's previous statement.  
Alex waved his hand dismissively "I nicked the syllabus last week and copied it during class. The professor probably didn't even know it was missing"  
"You did a month's worth of homework in a week?!" John was incredulous.  
"Well it's not particularly hard is it? 3000 words on modern art? Come on, John I could write that in my sleep. Stop ignoring my statement you haven't texted me."  
John flipped his phone in his hands, turning it over to release some of the intense discomfort that was settled in his chest. Before he could reply however Alex snatched his phone out of his hand. John immediately cursed his lack of a passcode. At the time it had seemed honest, like he had nothing to hide, he was an open book! But now it suddenly felt gravely dumb. He watched Alex frantically type then he handed the phone back. "There, I did it for you." He gave John a quick smile and then said "I have to get back to physics. This stuff isn't going to study itself. See you Sunday!" and reopened his computer. John suddenly felt very awkward. Again. He wandered away and decided to leave the library, as there was no way he would actually get anymore written anyway, it was hopeless with Alex in the room. As he wandered across the quad and back to his dorm, he was suddenly struck with a thought. Alex had said: see you Sunday, but they didn't have class on Sunday. Then he had another, dreadful thought and pulled his phone out. It was still open to a text sent to a number with the contact name "my dear Alexander" that read "hey Alex, good to see you again, want to go out Sunday?" John stuffed the phone back in his pocket, his heart racing. Did that really just..? And then his phone buzzed and he pulled it back out. 

 

My dearest Alexander: aww john! I would love to. See you at 12? 

John stared. Yes. The bastard did just ask himself out with John's phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are really so kind. I never thought that people would actually react to this and like it but there is an albeit short chapter but like. Hey I got super excited and had to tell you what happened. As soon as I get more time I will keep going but like. Work and school are a thing :/ maybe I'll try to get ahead so there can be an actual upload schedule but I get so excited and have to share it so I probably will keep getting excited and just posting! Okay. That was a ramble and a half! Off to bed! Love you all!


	3. Angst and struggle...sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay trigger warning: John's dad is a major dick and homophobic. I hate him guys and I might just kill him off because of this chapter. But I don't want anyone to be triggered. If any of you have lived though this or is living in an environment where people are being unkind and hurtful about who you love, they are wrong and I am so sorry. Okay! rambling, again! Sorry!

Saturday:

John woke from his nightmare sweating and shaking; how many nightmares did he have to suffer through before he would remember that his father was far away and could not hurt him? John’s father did not understand, appreciate, or even tolerate his son’s sexual orientation and his threats and anger had followed John, even though he had moved to the other side of the country. He got up and walked over to his desk. Everything was okay; he was okay. He opened his computer and was surprised to see that he had a new email. He opened his inbox and groaned. It was from his father. He couldn’t do this. He took a deep breath and opened the email. His father started off in rare form without so much as a greeting.

_Heard you changed your major. I don’t know what you plan on doing with Political Science and I hope you know that I will not continue paying for your education if you cannot choose studies that are applicable to a good paying job. I hope that you are keeping your unnaturalness in check. I am paying a large sum of money for you to attend that school and I will not continue to do so if you are merely using it to meet more people like you. Your mother wants you to come home for the holiday, let her know if you plan on coming so she can make room for you._

John slammed his computer closed and sat in his chair shaking. What his father called ‘unnatural’ was what most people called love. It was so wrong. John got up and got back in bed he couldn’t face this today and he couldn’t face Alexander. Alexander was hot but this was all too much. John rolled over. He would just text Alexander…that would be fine. He would understand, right? No, he couldn’t do that. He just wished he could slow this all down. Maybe he just wouldn’t go. But Alexander went to the same school, they were in the same class, he couldn’t avoid Alex forever. He pulled his phone out, and started typing.

  **John** : Hey, I just need this all to slow down. I can’t get into a relationship and this is all just so stressful and my family will be upset and I really like you but I just don’t know how to do this…

He looked it over. Well no, he couldn’t do that, that looked like he had just thrown up on his phone keyboard. He sighed and put his phone down. Then on a snap decision he picked it up and sent the message. Immediately he regretted his decision. What had he just done?! Now Alex was going to think he was crazy! He buried his head under the pillow and wondered how long it would take Alexander to answer. He was already sick with worry about what his reaction would be. Seconds later, his phone went off.

**My Dear Alexander:** Of course, I understand. I probably should not have been so aggressive. I forget that not everyone is ready to be as public as I am and I do apologize for making you uncomfortable, but I really would like to see you, so weird friend date?

John laughed which was a welcome feeling after the stress of his morning.

**John:** Weird friend date?

**My Dear Alexander:** I don’t know John! I panicked! Whatever you want to do I just want to get to know you, also you still have my hair tie, and well you know how annoying it is to never be able to find one…

John laughed again. The thought of Alex panicking was very entertaining and he did still have his hair tie.

**John:** Alright :) Weird friend date it is. Meet at the coffee cart in the A building? 12 tomorrow?

**My Dear Alexander:** see you at 12…Weird friend.

John felt so relieved. He had never had a friend who understood so easily. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He also was confused by Alexander. On one hand was the frantically typing library Alexander, who borderline ignored everyone and everything going on around him. And on the other was the Alex who stole his phone and understood John even though they had just met. John got back up and opened his computer again. He had dates to memorize for his history class and he wanted to get all of his homework done so that he didn’t have to think about it tomorrow. He would hopefully have other, more interesting things to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knooooooooow no date yet! Sorry! Had to get some exposition out of the way and Understading!Alex ^o^ :) :)


	4. Turtles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> UGH its been so long. But hey! have a LAMS date....and some turtles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys.....I'm the worst. Apparently I can only write this when I'm avoiding doing school, but I guess the good news is, I'll be in school for the next six months? So hopefully I won't leave you hanging again for six months???? Who knows. BUT I did stay up until 2:30am so I could finish this and give it to you so here *hands you thing* We have some new *old* friends joining us and Lafayette uses them\their pronouns so yes it is intentional, and no I'm not loosing my mind (well I am...just not here) OKAY ENOUGH. HAVE THE THING!

The sun came up at 8 on Sunday morning but John had already been up for several tense hours. He was seriously regretting that the weird friend date didn’t start earlier than noon because he was quickly running out of homework to invest his stress in. He had already started and deleted several texts to Alex alternately begging him to meet earlier and cancelling the whole thing entirely, but finally, he decided to go get breakfast as the dining hall should be open by now, and John wanted bacon. Bacon solved every problem one could have, he was sure. The dining hall was a short walk from his dorm and all too soon, John realized why he only left his room when absolutely necessary - there were just so many people. For the thousandth time, John reconsidered his journalism major. He would never forget the day his Student Services mentor looked up at him and asked in exasperation if he realized that he was going to have to talk to people if he wanted to be a journalist after the third time John had tried to refuse taking public speaking.  Yes, he did realize he was going to have to talk to people, he didn’t mind talking to people, just not before coffee and bacon, and, as he had pointed out to his SSM, he would not have to live with the people he was interviewing and therefore would not have to deal with them before coffee and bacon. So, it was with a sigh of relief that he swiped his student ID and entered the dining hall. After loading his plate with lots of breakfast food and grabbing two cups of coffee, he wandered over to the table where Lafayette, a foreign exchange student from France, and his burly sidekick, Hercules, sat. John had met them both in his first week and the trio had become fast friends. Laf was studying diplomacy with the intention of going into politics, and Herc was just at college for fun, taking random classes, enjoying the free gym pass and spending time “discovering himself.” John secretly thought he was just trying to see how long it would take before Herc’s parents realized he wasn’t going to get a degree in anything, and cut him off.

“Bonjour mon a ami” Lafayette smiled as John sild into the booth beside Hercules. “Did you sleep okay? You look like shit.”

“Fine.” John gave a non-committal smile and began to chug the first cup of coffee.

“Nope” Herc said, “Not fine, Laf is right…not to be a dick but you do look like shit. What’s up man? Stuff with your dad?”

Both Hercules and Lafayette knew about John’s struggles with his sexual orientation and his subsequent issues with his dad. John hadn’t even meant to tell them, and honestly hadn’t told them much, they both just figured it out.

“Sort of?” John dived into eating a pancake like it was the most interesting thing he was going to do all day. “I just woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep, okay? Really, I’m fine.”

“Alright,” Lafayette shrugged, “you don’t want to talk, don’t talk. OH! I made you something.” They pulled out their bag and then dug around in it for a couple seconds finally triumphantly holding up a binder.

“You made me a binder?” John asked skeptically.

“No!” Laf laughed “It’s in the binder, hold on, hold on.”

They flipped through a couple pages then held out a piece of paper COVERED in doodles of turtles. Turtles swimming, on rocks, turtles everywhere. John laughed. He had told Laf the first time they met that he liked turtles in a stream of nervous babble and Laf remembered. They remembered things like that.  It was one of the many reasons that John liked to hang out with them so much. It meant a lot, having random, small things you told people being remembered.

“Whatever you are going through…” Laf held up a hand as John began to protest. “…the turtles will help you.

John gave another non-committal smile and took the turtle doodles. They really were very adorable and very Laf. He picked up his plate and the two empty coffee cups and started to walk towards the dish return with a wave, but Herc jumped up too and grabbed his dishes. When they got to the dish return Herc turned and blocked John’s exit. “So, heard you’ve got a date today.” He said with a wink and a smirk.

“What?” John was immediately flustered, “No I don’t…what ‘re you…I don’t know what you are talking...” and then he ended with a defeated, “How did you know?”

Herc laughed and waved his hand, “Oh you know, your man told Eliza and she told Mariah and she told Laf who told me…or something like that. Who actually remembers what happened?” Herc shook his head. “Basically, were all just super excited for you and want this to be awesome…don’t fuck it up, Laurens.” He walked away humming a random tune and John sighed, “not planning on it,” he muttered…then, “my man???”

John walked back to his room, having nothing else to do until noon, and threw himself on his bed once he unlocked his door and walked in. He had somehow managed to get a room by himself by pure luck. The student that was supposed to be his roommate had been a late add to the enrollment and then never showed up. His RA kept telling him not to get used to it and that they were going to fill the other bed eventually, but until they did, John wasn’t complaining. He stared at the ceiling. It was 10…two more hours until he met Alex. Well, one and a half if he decided to be insanely early. He took out the folded piece of paper with the turtles and looked at all of the different turtles laughing to himself at their very expressive faces. Laf was a decent artist but they spent most of it on funny comics and filling entire pages with random doodles to make their friends happy. One thing that was always constant though, was that the faces were always extremely expressive. Some of the turtles looked surprised, some were laughing, their eyes scrunched up the way Laf’s did when they laughed. It made John smile, and suddenly, he was very tired. All the stress he had been under, all the homework he had done, and all the worries that his family would never accept him came crashing over him, and he fell asleep.

              John woke exactly one hour and fifty-five minutes later and immediately began to panic. Five minutes, his meeting with Alex was in five minutes…on the other side of the campus. He got up, pulled shoes on and gave himself a passing glance in the mirror. Well he didn’t have time to fix anything so this would have to do. He ran out of his room, slamming the door behind him, and then down the stairs, flinging the main door open and tearing down the path to the A building. He got there faster than he had thought was possible, pulling open the door and racing up the stairs to the second-floor coffee shop only five minutes late. Alex, of course was already there, and John almost didn’t recognize him without a laptop in front of him or his nose buried in some massive textbook. He tried to catch his breath and look nonchalant as he walked over to where Alex was sitting, but he knew it was not even worth trying. Even as a child his face had gotten very red even after the lightest exertion. He could feel his blood still pumping and prayed that Alex wouldn’t notice.

“sorry I’m late.” He said with only the slightest exhale and wanted to pat himself on the back.

“I wasn’t ready to send the cavalry after you yet, never fear,” Alexander answered, “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” John waved his hand, “Just accidentally fell asleep.  Didn’t really sleep well last night… ya know…nervous or whatever.” He wanted to die of embarrassment or reach up and clap his hand over his own mouth. This often happened to him when he got nervous. Babbling seemed to be a side effect of talking to people.  

Alex just smiled, “What were you nervous for?” John waved at the whole room in general. “This??” Alex asked somewhat incredulously, “Well, I’m flattered, but you didn’t have to be! Its just a weird friend date! Nothing to be worried or nervous about at all. Now, are you drinking coffee or not?”

“I can’t,” John said, somewhat sadly. “If I have any more coffee today I will end up with mad anxiety…” he paused, “…well more anxiety”

Alex laughed, which surprised John and then said, “Well do you like tea? I think I’m in the mood for some peppermint tea myself.”

“I honestly don’t know?” John said “I’m not much of a tea drinker. I don’t think I’ve had peppermint tea since I was a child.”

“Alright then, I’m going to go get two cups and you are welcome to drink yours or welcome to ignore its existence. And do sit down, now you’re making me nervous.”

John gratefully slid into the chair across from Alex as he got up to go get the tea and tried to breathe normally. Alex was back quickly with two steaming cups, and John happily wrapped his fingers around the comfortingly warm mug.

“So…” John began awkwardly as Alex blew on his hot tea, “I don’t know what one does on a weird friend date, as I have never been on one…well never heard of one actually. What’s the protocol?”

Alex shrugged, “What do _you_ want to talk about?”

“Well,” John trailed off, “Not my family.”

“Alright, so John’s family is off the table.” Alex looked at the two other chairs at the table as if there were people sitting in them and said sternly, “I’ve warned you…its off limits.” Then looked back at John in mock consternation, “If I’ve warned them once, I’ve warned them a million times.” John looked at him like he was crazy for a second, then saw the twinkle in his eye and laughed, it was just such an odd thing to do, although he was quickly figuring out that Alex was odd. He stuck his hand in his pocket and his fingers brushed the turtle doodles and he pulled them out.

“Okay, so I like turtles.”

“….turtles…”  Alex said slowly.

“Yeah, and one of my friends made this, and well. I don’t know. I like it.” John held out the piece of paper and Alex took it, looking at the turtles. Then he laughed. “I like it too,” He said; then: “I don’t know why, but this one is named Dorothy, and I’m 100% sure she is a pain in the ass.”

John leaned over to point at one sitting on a rock looking smug, “that one is Hercules. He’s an asshole but we love him.”

And so they continued until each of the turtles had a name and a backstory, some funny and entertaining, others woefully tragic. John found himself opening up and wanting to tell Alex everything about his frustrations about having to hide who he was from his family and the fact that if he couldn’t prove to his dad that journalism was a viable career that he might find himself cut off…that he might find himself cut off anyway because he was gay. When all the turtles had names, John looked up to find Alex staring at him. “What?” he asked feeling suddenly bashful.

“You’re beautiful.” Alex answered immediately and without preamble. John felt his face go red. “Am not” He said in almost a whisper.

Alex wrinkled his nose. “Yes you are, but I’m not going to fight with you. Just know that someday, if you let me, I will map out the constellations of your freckles with my fingers, and kiss those lips until they are even more red.” John felt his breath catch in his throat and sent Laf a mental thank you. They had been right, the turtles had helped. “I should go.” He whispered, hating himself on one hand, and on the other, not ready to leap into this. He was afraid that Alex would be mad, but Alex just smiled. “Thanks for meeting me. Again sometime?” John just nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

“See you tomorrow in English.” Alex said and John nodded again, “Tomorrow.” He said, and then got up and ran back to his room his heart beating through his chest the whole way back, which had very little to do with the physical exertion.

The next day when he walked into English, there was a tiny stone turtle painted green and a note with his name on it. He looked up, his eyes searching for, and finding Alexander buried in a book and then picked up the note.

_I had fun yesterday. You tell me when you’re ready to meet again, but until then, here’s a weird friend to keep you company. Pretty sure her name is Peggy, but only you would know, you are after all, the turtle expert._

_A.Ham_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH HAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIII.....so you read the thing....how do you feel? Am I forgiven for my unannounced six month hiatus? Okay. Now that I have lots of school to avoid, I hope to write more....but no promises....I can't break anyone's heart here....  
> You can find me on Tumblr at letmefightforfreedom to yell at me to write you more, or give me ideas or hey! just hang out with me. SEE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOON


End file.
